


Soft and Slow, Watch the Minutes Go

by gillywulf



Series: Beautiful Stranger, Here You Are [2]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Music, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:07:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22836757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gillywulf/pseuds/gillywulf
Summary: The bird, the fish, and the place where they live.orClarke Griffin, international pop star extraordinaire, and her very soft girlfriend Lexa carve out a piece of the world just for themselves.
Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Series: Beautiful Stranger, Here You Are [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1629784
Comments: 7
Kudos: 188





	Soft and Slow, Watch the Minutes Go

**Author's Note:**

> Cuz guess what Halsey released a new album and it has some real sensitive shit in it. Hope everyone is having a good time.

The stars were an old comfort. 

It was easy to gaze at them over the dusty roads as they rose just above the tree line. It was easy to get lost in the magnitude and implication of their mere existence and simply block out everything on earth that was just terrible. 

Mostly, Lexa liked to use them to imagine the good. Clarke’s smell and warmth always came easier to her when she looked through the massive skylight in their new apartment. She could practically feel her body weight pressed against her like she wasn’t on the other side of the country. 

The front door opened and proved that, thankfully, she wasn’t. 

“Babe?” Warmth flooded Lexa’s chest and she grinned. 

“Bedroom,” she called, not shifting from her position. She closed her eyes and listened for Clarke’s movements. The twin thumps of her sneakers hitting the floor, the soft patting of her steps traversing the halls, the swift intake of breath as she launched herself into the spot beside Lexa. 

“Hey,” Clarke murmured as she tucked herself along her girlfriend’s body. 

“Welcome home. How was shopping?” Lexa shifted her arm so that Clarke could lay her head over it and pulled her closer. 

“Riveting.”

“Oh yeah? I knew I missed out.”

“Absolutely. Nothing better than the glamorous adventure of grocery shopping,” she paused to kiss Lexa’s cheek as she laughed. “They were out of the peach flavor of that yogurt you like, though. I got another flavor for you try and if you don’t like it, I think I will.” 

Lexa’s mind flashed back to sitting on top of her truck, her eyes glued to the whirling dust above the canopy that lined the road. Anya’s encouragement and later warning about timing and it all seemed ridiculous and so long ago. How did she almost let this slip away? 

“You’re the best.”

~

The bar quieted the second the door closed behind them. The street was still wet from the earlier rains, the scent overtaking the alcohol and vomit from overzealous patrons earlier in the night. Lexa patted down her pockets to ensure she still had her keys, wallet, and phone before turning her attention to Clarke. 

“Clarke, can you check- oh, no, babe, your shoes,” she groaned. Clarke had removed her heels about an hour ago and now they lay in the gutter as she swayed tipsily down the sidewalk towards their apartment.

“They were free, no big,” Clarke replied with a wave of her hand. Lexa huffed and scooped them up, then jogged to catch up. 

“Wait, wait, that’s not the point,” she tugged Clarke’s hand and then stood in front of her, draping the hand over her own shoulder, “there’s all kinds of shit in the street, climb on. There’s no need to hurt yourself.” There was a long moment of silence as Clarke seemed to register what she’d said, just long enough to make Lexa self-conscious. Was that weird? Oh no, that was weird. Clarke was going to break up with her-

Another hand found a grip on her other shoulder and suddenly all of the superstar’s weight was leaned against her back. Lexa breathed a sigh of relief and tucked her hands under the knees at her hips. A gentle humming vibrated against her cheek as they set off. She was composing.

“I’m writing my next album about you, you know,” Clarke admitted quietly into her ear a few minutes later.

“Yeah?” Lexa asked. She couldn’t have stopped the disbelief from leaking out if she’d tried. All these years of knowing her and Clarke still surprised her. Still found ways to show just how much Lexa meant to her and it baffled her. 

“Yeah. I’ve got a few songs written already. I think they’re really good,” Clarke melted further into Lexa’s back with each step and the warmth of her almost made the alcohol in Lexa’s system spread that much faster. 

“Can I hear one?” she asked. 

“Oh yeah, absolutely. I was going to play one for you tomorrow when I was a little less drunk, _but_ I will sing for you now. Soft skin's soft as, all of these beautiful lives and beautiful thighs. They always kept me up at night, but I can't change my appetite, 'cause your pussy is a wonderland and I could be a better man-” 

Lexa laughed, her whole body shaking. “I love it. Number one hit on the radio, calling it now.”

“I’m going to have Alanis Morissette do the chorus,” Clarke announced. 

“I’m sure she will be delighted to sing about my vagina.”

“I know _I_ will be.”

~

Lexa sighed as she approached her front door. Her new job was good, but just because it was more desk work and overseeing that her last job, didn’t make it any less exhausting. Talking to people left her tired on a good day, whatever the situation. She slid her key in to the lock and froze. Through the wood came a sweet melody from the piano in their living room. A soft, lilting thing that accompanied the gentle tone of Clarke’s voice. She twisted the knob slowly so as not to alert her girlfriend. 

“... your cheeks says that you bleed like me and the 808 beat sends your heart to your feet. Left my shoes in the street so you'd carry me through a breakdown.” The lyrics trailed off into humming as the melody meandered through a part she hadn’t written lyrics for yet. 

Clarke was sat at the piano, her hair piled into a messy bun and the rest of her wrapped in her coziest hoodie. A notebook, loose papers, a pen and her phone were scattered over the top of the black wood and she reached for the pen to scribble in the notebook when she paused her playing. Lexa leaned in the doorway to watch. Her exhaustion was immediately gone. 

The song picked up from where she’d left off with more humming. Lexa wasn’t often privy to Clarke’s songwriting process. She kept things private and close to her chest until she had a finished product. Patience was a virtue Lexa was still learning. Midway through the next play-through, Clarke’s eyes met hers and - with a brief smile - she continued on. They didn’t speak until she had gone through two more times, adding lyrics with each play. 

“You were quiet,” Clarke said as her fingers continued to move over the keys.

“I don’t get to see you play very often and it was very pretty. It would’ve been a crime to interrupt,” Lexa pushed off the wall and slid in beside Clarke. “I don’t tell you often enough how much you astound me.” The song cut off abruptly. Lexa looked up to find blue eyes boring in to her. 

“I’ve been asked to debut a new song at the Grammy’s. Will you go with me?” Her voice was soft and vulnerable and despite what Lexa felt about crowds, there was no world where she would deny Clarke. 

“Yeah, of course.” Clarke kissed her soundly before she’d finished. 

Later that night, her arms pulled Lexa close, like she was trying to absorb her. “I am amazed by you every day,” she whispered into the skin of her shoulder. Lexa hugged Clarke’s arms tighter around her. 

~

“Well, as an adult, I have to work tomorrow. I’m going to head out before I let you pay for any more of my drinks,” Anya pulled her coat over her arms and patted her pockets to check for her belongings. 

“You mean you’ll start waxing poetic about Raven once you’re drunk enough,” Clarke teased. 

“Hey, don’t put words in my mouth. Get home safe, you two. Good night.” The couple watched as Anya disappeared around the corner and followed suit not long after, pulling on jackets and double checking for their belongings. When they hit the street, Lexa felt Clarke reach out and try to lace their fingers. Her hand remained stiff. 

“Hey,” Clarke tugged them to a slow stop, “are you okay?” She frowned when Lexa looked anywhere but her. “Talk to me. Please,” she pleaded softly, running her thumb over the skin in her grasp. For a moment Lexa tried to find the words, to piece together something that wasn’t entirely emotion and that wouldn’t cause undue pain, but she shook her head and turned back towards their apartment. 

“When we get home. I need to think before I speak.” Clarke’s lips tightened, but she nodded and stayed beside Lexa the entire way. The walk allowed the words to settle with each step. She wasn’t mad at Clarke- _couldn’t_ be mad at her. It was irrational and her girlfriend had proved time and time again that what she felt for Lexa was real and there was no getting rid of her. 

She was endlessly grateful for the quiet, for the chance to organize herself and the affection swelling in her chest helped ease away some of the frustration with herself. Lexa remained silent until the front door was locked and their coats were hung up in the hall closet. Then, at length, she turned to face Clarke. 

“You are very successful and you’ve worked very hard for that. I couldn’t be more proud of you and the effort you put in every day. I want to start with that,” she finally made eye contact and Clarke nodded to encourage her to continue. “That being said, I don’t want you to pay for every bill willy-nilly like it’s nothing. When you wave away my offer to pay for something I feel like I’m not contributing anything to us,” Lexa explained. Her shoulders were tense and almost up by her ears by the time she finished. She watched Clarke’s heart immediately break on her face.

“Oh, baby, no. That’s not- I never meant- I’m so sorry, come here.” She held out her arms and folded Lexa into herself. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“I know you don’t _need_ me, but I’m frustrated any time I’m reminded of it,” Lexa breathed into Clarke’s neck. She felt the full body laugh and the hands tightened around her. 

“No one _needs_ anyone, but by _god_ do I want you.” Tears began to form in Lexa’s eyes without her consent. Trust her to start crying in the middle of their argument. “Hey,” she felt Clarke pull back enough to see her face, but kept her eyes closed. She didn’t want her to see how red they were. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.” 

Her arms were suddenly empty and her eyes flew open to catch Clarke dart across the room to the expensive stereo system she’d moved in with. She pushed a few buttons and came back to Lexa, settling her arms around her neck as a slow song filled the room. Lexa tried to ignore the way her hands so automatically fell to her hips. 

“Do you remember prom? We danced more with each other than our dates,” Clarke laughed. Lexa remembered. Clarke had gone with Finn and she’d gone with Costia, a girl she knew had been crushing on her the whole year, in a vain attempt to get Clarke off her mind. They’d spent maybe fifteen minutes with their respective dates before finding one another like magnets. 

“I can’t believe we didn’t know then.”

“Excuse you, I certainly knew. I was just worried you didn’t. Turns out I was right,” Clarke countered. Lexa hummed.

“Let me rephrase; _I_ should have known.”

“Yes, but I’ll forgive you as long as you know now.”

~

The new suit was incredibly comfortable. It was custom cut and designed just for her to match Clarke’s own enchanting dress. The label had insisted on it and Clarke had worked with her to find something she’d like that wasn’t too loud, but didn’t look a wash next to Clarke. Lexa privately believed everything looked awash beside Clarke, but who was asking? 

They had walked the carpet with flashing lights and rising panic. Clarke’s hand firmly clasping hers was the only thing keeping her grounded and present. And it was hardly a hardship when the press asked her to stand away for individual photos of the singer. Looking at Clarke was her favorite thing, especially when she was as dressed up as she was. 

She leaned back in her assigned chair. Clarke had been pulled a few minutes before to prepare for her performance and Lexa was beginning to get antsy alone. All at once, the lights came back up and a host walked on stage. 

“And now, three-time Grammy nominee with her new single, Clarke Griffin,” he gestured to the center stage and Clarke’s figure was lit with a spotlight. She’d changed clothes again and had her oldest guitar slug over her shoulder. Lexa remembered her playing it at the school wide talent shows that she always seemed to sweep. She began playing before the applause died down. 

“Your eyes, so crystal green, sour apple baby, but you taste so sweet,” Lexa felt her face redden immediately. Clarke hadn’t been joking when she said she’d written about her extensively. And so obviously. She couldn’t help but laugh quietly. 

Twenty minutes later Clarke found her way back to her seat with a nervous grin. “What did you think?” she asked, her pinky pressing to Lexa’s hand. Lexa laughed again and took Clarke’s hand in her own. 

“I love you, but if there is actually a song about my vagina on the album sung by Alanis Morissette, I will scream,” she replied. The quiet admission in the crowded theater wasn’t lost. Clarke’s eyes shown with nearly-there tears as she pulled Lexa’s hand to her lips. 

“I love you too, but it’s staying.”

~

Clarke burst through the door and Lexa nearly dropped the dish she was holding. 

“It’s done,” Clarke announced, ripping off her heavy coat as she crossed the apartment, jabbing her finger into the buttons of the stereo system. Lexa blinked, bewildered. 

“What’s done?” She set down the dish carefully. There was no need for more property damage than Clarke’s excitement would cause. She watched her girlfriend shove a before unseen disc into the player and whirl around, arms wide and a grin stretching across her face. 

“My new album.” She pulled the blanket from their sofa and laid it out over the floor. As soon as it was flat, she marched over to Lexa, pecked her cheek, then tugged her down to the blanket with her. 

“I get to hear?” Lexa asked, making herself comfortable. 

“I said you could when it’s done. Now without further adieu, may I present; Clarke Griffin’s Untitled Third Album.” Clarke pressed the play button and after a few moments of silence, sound filtered through the speakers. 

It was always a surreal experience listening to Clarke’s new music. She put so much of herself into every track that Lexa was always left feeling like she’d learned something new about the girl she’d known most of her life. And she wasn’t stupid; she knew songwriting was very personal for a lot of people - Clarke included - and to be let in like this was a show of trust unlike anything else. 

Lexa smiled and found Clarke’s hand as she listened.

~

“Can you guess where I am right now?” Clarke asked from thousands of miles away. Lexa chewed her lip and tried to recall the schedule tacked to the fridge. She would get up and look, but she was comfortable in bed and Clarke would surely call that cheating. 

“I want to say Florida.” Her answer was met with a laugh.

“Which stop in Florida?”

“Tallahassee?” 

“You know sometimes I think you memorize that thing, but no, that wasn’t what I meant, guess again,” Clarke demanded. Lexa hummed and made a show of trying to really put her brain into it, but she was so exhausted by work that day that she couldn’t get beyond ‘not in bed with me’ and decided to groan like she was stumped. 

“I couldn’t even begin to track the life of an international pop star. Where are you?”

“On the roof of the bus.” Lexa’s eyes - which had slid closed over the course of the conversation - snapped open. 

“Oh yeah?” She forced the nerves and panic out of her voice. 

“Mhmm. Found a step ladder and went up the hatch at the back. Gus is standing just below like he’ll be able to ninja catch me as I start falling,” the singer laughed. 

“You never know with him. Can I ask what you’re doing up there?” 

“I was missing you, so I wanted to see the stars.” Lexa’s world stopped and narrowed down to one thought; I will marry this woman. There was no other choice. After all the years of pining and missed opportunities culminating into the life they had built together, anything else would be a disservice to themselves. It wouldn’t be soon - she could handle a little bit of waiting - but it was going to happen. The revelation knocked the wind out of her and she sat up in bed, then, struck by the image of Clarke under the stars, moved to their bedroom window and pushed it open.

“What a coincidence, me too.”


End file.
